SAG Strike Comes To Tentative Close, New Agreement Met

After almost a year, a dispute between the voice actors who partook in the SAG strike finally reached a tentative agreement over new work guidelines.

The nearly 300-day strike was, in part, due to the poor working conditions for voice actors which included four-hour-long acting sessions, which in some instances, lead to permanently damaged vocal cords directly caused by the prolonged sessions.

Exact details are scarce at the moment, however, according to a press-release issued from SAG-AFTRA, a new agreement has been made that will entitle voice actors a bonus payment upon completion of a game. The new bonus payment will look at the number of sessions an actor has been commissioned for, instead of being based on the number of units sold, which was the standard prior to the new agreement.

The big question left to answer is why the SAG strike lasted as long as it did and who was affected by its duration. In an interview with Polygon, a voice actor stated that:

“Compensation for gaming is not nearly the same as traditional media. You know that residuals are non-existent — and that was a massive point in the recent negotiations.”

One of the more significant titles to be hit by the effects of the strike was the recently released prequel to Life is Strange, Life is Strange: Before the Storm. Ashly Burch, the lead voice for the character Chloe in the original game, was unable to reprise her role in the prequel (although she did consult on the character during the development of Before the Storm).

Hopefully, the new agreement will lead to fairer working conditions and better assurance of quality for all parties involved.